My ex showed up on my doorstep one day, after I’d kicked him out for good reason. He wore that fake smile I knew too well and handed me a plastic bag. Inside: a dozen eggs and half a pound of bologna. “Just thought you might need some groceries,” he said. I rolled my eyes but took it, hoping he’d finally leave me alone.

Later that afternoon, I ran into a mutual friend at the store. “Hey,” he said casually, “Alex told me he stocked your whole fridge today—said you were struggling without him.”

I nearly dropped the cereal box in my hands. Stocked my fridge? I had a single shelf with pity groceries and nothing but air in the crisper.

Fueled by anger, I opened my fridge that night and took a picture—eggs, bologna, and a glaring emptiness. I posted it with the caption: “When lies come sunny side up with a side of bologna.”

What happened next shocked me: the post went viral. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one with an ex who inflated their self-worth with fictional good deeds. Stories poured in. By the end of the week, I was invited on a podcast to talk about toxic narratives and reclaiming your story.

As for Alex? He texted: “Why are you humiliating me online?”
I replied: “You started with eggs and bologna. I just finished the recipe—with truth.”